Project could bring 72 jobs, $12 million investment

Tuesday

Aug 27, 2013 at 10:16 PM

An unidentified company is considering expanding to an existing building in Davidson County, a move that could bring 72 jobs and a $12 million investment, economic development and county officials said Tuesday.

BY NASH DUNNThe Dispatch

An unidentified company is considering expanding to an existing building in Davidson County, a move that could bring 72 jobs and a $12 million investment, economic development and county officials said Tuesday.Project Soft, which was described as a manufacturing company, is considering locating to an undisclosed site in the county, said Steve Googe, executive director of the Davidson County Economic Development Commission.The Davidson County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to set a public hearing to consider economic development incentives for Project Soft at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10.After the meeting, Davidson County Commissioner Larry Potts said the company would qualify for tax-rebate incentives from the county as well as incentives from the state.Potts, who also serves on the EDC's board of directors, added that the company would be moving into an existing building.It was unclear Tuesday if commissioners knew the true identity of Project Soft. Several elected officials in the county have requested more information about companies being considered for economic development incentives in recent months. Googe told members of the press this summer that the EDC was currently drawing up non-disclosure agreements for elected officials to sign, which would enable them to know more about unidentified companies.In closed session Tuesday, commissioners also discussed property at the site of the proposed Interstate 85 industrial park in Linwood. The board took no action on the matter after reconvening in open session.In May, commissioners voted 4-3 to move forward with the first phase of the industrial park, which encompasses about 250 acres. Development of the first phase is estimated to cost about $7.6 million, according to EDC estimates obtained from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.Also after the meeting, Potts said organizers are looking at a format for how the park can be developed and constructing a real time line of when action can take place."Everybody has come to the swimming pool, we've all stuck our toes in, but nobody wants to dive in first," Potts said.One of the EDC's current land acquisition plans involves owners putting their land in a limited liability company with other stakeholders in the project. If a company were to purchase property at the site, members of the LLC would share the profits, according to state records.Potts said the LLC is still a "great possibility," as is the possibility of the county acquiring the land.The first phase of the park involves property owned by Jim Graham and several other families, according to state and county records.The county must hold a public hearing before appropriating any money for the development of the park, per N.C. statutes.Landfill expansionCommissioners also agreed to move forward with a nearly $2 million expansion to the county's landfill. The board unanimously accepted a bid for construction from J.T. Russell & Sons, of Albemarle, to complete a new cell at the landfill, which is one of two new cells planned in the expansion project. Construction of the cell should be complete by the spring, said Pieter Scheer, vice president of engineering firm Smith Gardner Inc. hired by the county. Scheer said the expansion was needed to keep the landfill under capacity."We're at a point where we are running out of space," said Assistant Davidson County Manager Zeb Hanner said after the meeting.The decision on the expansion does not decide the county's ongoing discussions with a company, Santek Waste Services, about operating the landfill privately.In other business, commissioners:• Discussed wastewater spills in the city of Thomasville after Potts said he received a call from a citizen in recent weeks about the issue. Commissioners recognized Davidson County Attorney Chuck Frye, who explained that the county does not have the power to regulate the spills, nor can it proceed under any public nuisance theory. Frye said the county could coordinate with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and encourage Thomasville to see that impacted landowners get a good hearing on their damages before city council.Nash Dunn can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 227, or at nash.dunn@the-dispatch.com. Follow Nash on Twitter: @LexDispatchNash